Commercial-residential project proposed in Limerick

LIMERICK — A local businessman is looking to take advantage of Limerick’s new zoning ordinance to build a mixed-use development next to the district court office on Ridge Pike.

Len DelGrippo wants to construct a building at 511 W. Ridge Pike that will house several stores on the first level and feature 12 residential apartments above.

“What we propose is a mixed use development that we believe fits perfectly with your ordinance,” said Michael J. Clement, who represented DelGrippo’s interests before the Limerick Board of Supervisors on Dec. 4.

In September, Limerick adopted a new zoning ordinance called that creates a “Main Street district” encouraging certain types of development that would look aesthetically pleasing to those driving through.

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Clement said the new development, which would be situated as the next neighbor west to the district court building, would be appealing to residents of and within walking distance of apartments in the area.

The plans call for a single entrance to both complexes that will be constructed between the two buildings.

DelGrippo owns a single house on the site and the district court building. In order to build the development, the house will be demolished and some of the excess parking for the court building will be utilized for the residents of the overhead apartments.

“You never see people down there,” said supervisors’ vice-chairman Joseph St. Pedro of the large parking lot for the court building.

Clement said DelGrippo intends to “greenscape” around the building, in accordance with the township’s Main Street ordinance, especially toward the property’s front. The building and the parking out front for its commercial entities will be set back further than the minimum requirement in the zoning ordinance to allow for the planting of larger trees.

The parking situation is what will send DelGrippo and Clement to the township’s zoning hearing board, however.

Because the township ordinance forbids both commercial and residential utilization of a parking lot for a mixed-use building, waivers must be obtained to use the district justice parking lot for the residential slots.

Normally, the residential lot would be required to be built totally behind the building, but the topography there, which includes a steep slope and a natural water feature, would make a lot behind the building “economically” impossible.

Township engineer Khaled Hassan said the “change in elevation” of roughly 11 feet behind the proposed building would make the parking lot very difficult and would create a possibly stagnant pond in the area.

“We think this is a neat ordinance and we want to comply with everything,” Clement said.

The project was met with general approval from the board of supervisors.